Protein Powder

Are you taking protein powder after your workouts? I stopped going to the gym shortly after I found out I was pregnant because I was tired, sick, etc. Anyway, I am back at it and wondering if protein powder is safe. You would think I would know this seeing it is my fourth but I never worked out with the others.

Comments (13)

I am pretty lax about what I eat during pregnancy and use common sense, however some whey proteins are a soy derivative and too much soy is a no-no during pregnancy because of its estrogen-like properties. I would check with your doctor to be sure though, there are a ton of other protein powders and drinks that I'm sure are just fine.

ETA: I'm a runner and used to drink whey daily almost, but have stopped completely since becoming pregnant.

Whey comes from dairy cows, not soy. And not all whey protein has soy. I take some daily that is soy free.

Not everyone trusts Dr Mercola but I thought his explanation was really well done insofar as how to find a good, safe source of whey protein powder. You have to scroll down to find his whey powder "what to look for" info:

I chose to stop protein powder after workouts because of the artificial sweetners. There was also something else in it (can't remember the name...it was super long) that naturally occurs in food but too much can be detrimental to baby.
Wish I had a good substitute though because I've had an extreme aversion to almost all protein so far.

Even before I was pregnant I have always been very picky of protein powders. Artificial sweeteners give me major headaches. I highly recommend proteinfactory.com. You can custom mix a powder, choose flavor and sweetener and avoid all the extra ingredients.

Hemp, egg white, whey, and pea protein powders are great! I've had a hard time consuming enough protein, so it's been a big help. Just read the labels and make sure they use an all natural sweetner, like steiva or xylitol or make sure it's low in real sugar. Definitely avoid soy or anything else GMO.

The best brands I have found are Jay Robb and NOW brands. Jay Robb is expensive, but it's all natural and tastes awesome! The vanilla egg-white powder tastes like angel food cake!

I usually use Jay Robb and add hemp powder, for extra protein and fiber!